What is the proper placement of tell tails on the mail sail? I need to replace the ones on the jib, but I never had any on the main sail. Thanks
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- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
tell tales on battan pockets
I believe that on the mainsail the tell tales are about 8 to 14 inches long, (depending on material used) and stream from each battan pocket. Each tell tale is a single strand. I think there are other placements for the tell tales as well, and these are paired in the usual fashion and placed at the 1/4 1/2 and 3/4 positions at various heights on the main. I'll leave the rest of the recommendation to someone wiser than I, regarding height placement, as I am unsure if each row corresponds to the height of each battan.
I believe that on the mainsail the tell tales are about 8 to 14 inches long, (depending on material used) and stream from each battan pocket. Each tell tale is a single strand. I think there are other placements for the tell tales as well, and these are paired in the usual fashion and placed at the 1/4 1/2 and 3/4 positions at various heights on the main. I'll leave the rest of the recommendation to someone wiser than I, regarding height placement, as I am unsure if each row corresponds to the height of each battan.
Mainsail Telltales
Rob: Place them as Roger says - at the end of each batten. If you really want to get fancy you can place 2 (one on each side) in about the center of the mainsail and you read those as you do the ones on the jib. The most important mainsail telltale is the top one. The most important jib telltale is the middle ones. Reading telltales is an art that is simple to learn. They are the primary system of checks and balances for the mainsail trimmer and jib trimmer. No non-electronic devise has been developed that approaches the sensitivity and effectivenes of telltales along the leech of the mainsail and the luff of the jib. Sadly, a majority of sailors do not have telltales attached to their sails. I really don't know how they trim their sails without them. I have trouble trimming sails without them and I know what I'm looking for. Rob, once you get them installed, pop on over to the sail trim forum on this site if you have any questions about understanding how to read them. There are a number of good sailors there that will explain all you need to know about telltales.
Rob: Place them as Roger says - at the end of each batten. If you really want to get fancy you can place 2 (one on each side) in about the center of the mainsail and you read those as you do the ones on the jib. The most important mainsail telltale is the top one. The most important jib telltale is the middle ones. Reading telltales is an art that is simple to learn. They are the primary system of checks and balances for the mainsail trimmer and jib trimmer. No non-electronic devise has been developed that approaches the sensitivity and effectivenes of telltales along the leech of the mainsail and the luff of the jib. Sadly, a majority of sailors do not have telltales attached to their sails. I really don't know how they trim their sails without them. I have trouble trimming sails without them and I know what I'm looking for. Rob, once you get them installed, pop on over to the sail trim forum on this site if you have any questions about understanding how to read them. There are a number of good sailors there that will explain all you need to know about telltales.
go see your...
sailmaker. He knows where they go. I would opt for the "Black Beauties" see Hobie Cat site for parts #s... and put them on both sides of the sails in appropriate spots. Use orange on the leach... but don't double up... they will tangle. When they are flying straight back they are good. Luffing on leeward side let out. Luffing on windward side... pull in. Happy Trimming.
sailmaker. He knows where they go. I would opt for the "Black Beauties" see Hobie Cat site for parts #s... and put them on both sides of the sails in appropriate spots. Use orange on the leach... but don't double up... they will tangle. When they are flying straight back they are good. Luffing on leeward side let out. Luffing on windward side... pull in. Happy Trimming.
Just like Don and Roger said
A roll of surveyor flagging tape costs about a buck at your local construction supply or equipment rental store. Flagging is very durable (it's made to stay out in the sun for months) and even if you put new telltales on every time you go sailing, the roll will last forever. I'm still using the set I put on my mainsail this spring. Forget the masthead wind indicator...telltales on the leech of the mainsail are the key to good mainsail trim. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
A roll of surveyor flagging tape costs about a buck at your local construction supply or equipment rental store. Flagging is very durable (it's made to stay out in the sun for months) and even if you put new telltales on every time you go sailing, the roll will last forever. I'm still using the set I put on my mainsail this spring. Forget the masthead wind indicator...telltales on the leech of the mainsail are the key to good mainsail trim. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
one more thing
Don didn't say it, but I did learn this one from him, so he gets the credit. The top batten should be in line with your boom. That is when the main is set right. The top telltale should flip up every second or third time. That is another indicator that your main is set right. As for other tell tales, (the paired ones), always trim (or steer) towards the luffing tale. Just another way of saying what rpierpo1 was saying.
Don didn't say it, but I did learn this one from him, so he gets the credit. The top batten should be in line with your boom. That is when the main is set right. The top telltale should flip up every second or third time. That is another indicator that your main is set right. As for other tell tales, (the paired ones), always trim (or steer) towards the luffing tale. Just another way of saying what rpierpo1 was saying.
The most 'definitive' set of articles EVER
about tell-tales (where to place them and how to use them and how to 'trim' based on tell-tales) is found on www.arvelgentry.com ----> "magazine articles" ----> Checking Trim on the Wind, November 1973 Achieving Proper Balance, December 1973 Sailing to Windward, January 1974 Are You at Optimum Trim?, March 1974 These four 'articles' are a serialized 4 part offering of one long article that appeared in sail racing mags. This website also contains the seminal info on how sails really or actually work, etc. (not for the faint of heart) - dispells the 'slot effect', dispells the US high school and typical sailing instruction book ''CRAP" of how wings/sails work, etc. ... all based on aerodynamics.
about tell-tales (where to place them and how to use them and how to 'trim' based on tell-tales) is found on www.arvelgentry.com ----> "magazine articles" ----> Checking Trim on the Wind, November 1973 Achieving Proper Balance, December 1973 Sailing to Windward, January 1974 Are You at Optimum Trim?, March 1974 These four 'articles' are a serialized 4 part offering of one long article that appeared in sail racing mags. This website also contains the seminal info on how sails really or actually work, etc. (not for the faint of heart) - dispells the 'slot effect', dispells the US high school and typical sailing instruction book ''CRAP" of how wings/sails work, etc. ... all based on aerodynamics.
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